Thank you, L&S Staff!
Every day, our dedicated staff strive to uphold and uplift the mission of L&S, the largest college in the best public university. Here, you will find a showcase of awards and recognition programs that honor the hard work and contributions of our team members. UC Berkeley also offers an array of professional development opportunities designed to empower and equip staff with the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in their careers. Join us in acknowledging excellence and cultivating a vibrant community of lifelong learners and leaders in the College of Letters & Science.
College of Letters & Science Achievement Awards
Call for nominations for 24-25 opened in May 2025.
The L&S Achievement Awards are designed to formally recognize and publicize the achievements of L&S staff who demonstrate a commitment to our shared mission of teaching, research and public service. The inaugural L&S Staff Achievement Awards will recognize L&S staff members who excelled in collaboration, goal accomplishment, inclusion & belonging, innovation, and/or job mastery during the period of June 2024 - May 2025.
Eligibility
Current staff in the College of Letters & Science (represented positions, PPSM and MSP employees (career & contract appointments), and Academic Coordinators) may be nominated. Any member of the Berkeley campus community can submit a nomination.Award Criteria
Awards will be given based on the Achieve Together criteria outlined below. All nominations must demonstrate excellence in one or more of the criteria:
- Collaboration – Enhances individual work by soliciting contributions from others and enhances others’ work by contributing to their success to more effectively meet unit goals.
- Goal Accomplishment – Achieves individual goals that contribute to unit priorities.
- Inclusion & Belonging – Demonstrates respect for people and their differences, regardless of race, ethnicity, class, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, ability, country of origin, cultural, political, religious, or other affiliations. Understands the benefits of a diverse workforce, is trusted and respected by others, includes and welcomes others, and works to understand the perspective of others.
- Innovation – Uses knowledge, skills, and professional experience to seek efficiencies and improve work outcomes.
- Job Mastery – Demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities that result in high performance and contributions within the scope of the employee’s job description.
The L&S Administrative Advisory Committee (AAC) will review the nominations, confirm eligibility with immediate supervisors, and make final recommendations to the Deans for approval. Recipients will be notified in August. Recipients and nominators will be invited to a recognition event in fall 2025.
Nomination Form & Deadline
The call for nominations for 24-25 has opened! Please use this form to submit your nominations. The deadline for nominations is Tuesday, July 15 at 5:00 p.m. PT.
2024 L&S Staff Achievement Award Recipients
- Rebecca Chavez, Sociology
- Faith Enemark, Rhetoric, Film & Media, History of Art
- Linda Fitzgerald, English
- Sarah Fullerton, A&H Dean's Office
- Vicky Lee, Mathematics
- Arman Liwanag, L&S Advising
- Elizabeth Nakahama-Ryan, Physics
- Teddy Prompichai, Innovative Genomics Institute
- Bibi Zaragoza, UGIS Academic Programs
L&S Staff Professional Development Program
Opened May 28, 2025
The L&S Staff Professional Development Program is designed to augment professional development funding that is distributed at the individual unit level. The funding is made possible through contributions from all the Letters & Science deans. Funds can be used for course/conference registration fees and/or travel in support of your current role in L&S.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis for professional development opportunities that take place during one of two cycles:
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Cycle 1: $10,000 distribution: Professional development activities that take place from July 1, 2025-December 2025.
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Cycle 2: $10,000 distribution: Professional development activities that take place from January 2026-June 2026.
Cycles may close early if allocated funds are depleted and awardees are eligible for up to $1,000 per year.
Eligibility
The fund is open to all L&S staff members who meet the following conditions:
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Worked at L&S for at least 6 months and, if applicable, received a 'well done' or 'standout' rating during the last Achieve Together cycle or received a 'meets expectations' or higher for represented staff.
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Obtained supervisor support for the professional development opportunity. Supervisors may be contacted for additional information.
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Have completed and are up to date on all mandatory trainings assigned in the UC Learning Center.
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Have already sought funding from their department and were denied or need additional funding.
Award Criteria
Priority will be given to applicants who:
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Were not awarded adequate funding via their department
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Have never had a professional development opportunity while at L&S
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Demonstrate concrete ways that they can share their experience back with the unit or College at large and demonstrate how it aligns with at least one of the Achieve Together criteria.
Application Form
Submit an online application today!
L&S High Five Recognition Program
Opened May 31, 2024
The High Five program recognizes L&S staff who go above and beyond to provide service. Anyone can nominate. Nominees are entered into a monthly gift card drawing and nominators are entered into a quarterly drawing.
Eligibility
Current staff in the College of Letters & Science (represented positions, PPSM and MSP employees (career & contract appointments)) may be nominated. Any member of the Berkeley campus community can submit a nomination.
Recognize someone today by submitting this Google form.
L&S High-Five Winners
April 2025: Asha Castillejo, Eva Seto, Tara Young
March 2025: Maire Lanigan, Oliver Marasigan, Emma Wolfgram
February 2025: Solomon Lefler, Tiffany Lei, Catherine Norton
January 2025: Daunte Marshall, Holly Le, Joanna King
November 2024: Emilie Dandan, Karla Rodriguez-Sandher, Michael Schneider
October 2024: Tim Cahill, Sara Larsen, Rebecca Singh
September 2024: Ashlee Bayliss, David Harris, Marisol Silva
August 2024: Netra Krishnappa, Elizabeth Nakahama-Ryan, Rebecca Egger
July 2024: Gudny Gunnarsdottir, Madalyn Morris Huerta, Maura Vrydaghs
June 2024: Lyazzat Cohen, Neil Gali, Danielle Molina
L&S Staff Spotlight
Ongoing; Year-Round
Nominate a colleague or yourself! Our staff members do so much in support of our students, our mission, and each other -- please share suggestions for those who you'd like to see or learn about in a future L&S Staff Spotlight. You could volunteer yourself, your team, and/or others. Feel free to share more than one!
To nominate a colleague, a team, or yourself, please fill out this form.
Launches in Summer 2025
With the aim of fostering connection and community-building, as well as an opportunity to learn and grow within the College, L&S colleagues will be randomly matched with other colleagues who have signed up using this form. This is a voluntary, fun way to meet colleagues you may not have met otherwise, and to bring a sense of conviviality to the College. Colleagues will meet each other either in-person or via Zoom for casual conversation.
Questions or comments? Email: lsaac@berkeley.edu
Campus Awards & Honors
2025 L&S Awardees
Among the highest honors bestowed upon staff by the Chancellor, COSAs are presented to individuals and teams who, in addition to performing their normal job duties with excellence, also demonstrate exceptional initiative in contributing to the UC Berkeley campus community.
Individual Award Recipients:
Aileen Liu, Director of Curriculum Engagement Initiatives, L&S Division of Undergraduate Studies
Maria Kies, Department Manager, Astronomy
Brendan West, Sound Technician, Department of Music
Lihong Ma, Curriculum Analyst, L&S Division of Undergraduate Studies
Sandra Richmond, Director of Administration A.G.E.S., African American Studies
2025 L&S Awardees
The Berkeley Staff Assembly is pleased to announce the recipients of the 36th annual Excellence in Management (EIM) Award, who are recognized for leading their teams and team members to meaningful accomplishments this past year. This year’s award theme, “A Culture of Excellence: Inspiring Performance and Growth," highlights leaders who foster an environment where innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement thrive, empowering their teams to achieve their full potential and drive organizational success.
2025 EIM Recipients
- Aileen Liu, L&S Division of Undergraduate Studies
- Gregory Cera, L&S Advising
- Rachel Crow, Interdisciplinary Social Science Programs
To learn more, visit the EIM website(link is external) or contact the EIM committee at bsa_eim@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail).
2024 L&S Awardees
The Excellence in Advising and Student Services Awards program recognizes outstanding work and innovation in advising and student support.
2024 L&S Recipients
The Mary Slakey Howell Excellence in Advising and Student Services Award
- Alicia K. Hayes, Associate Director, National Scholarships and Experiential Fellowships, Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarships
- Isela Peña-Rager, Assistant Director, Office of Undergraduate Advising, College of Letters & Science
The Equity-Oriented Advising & Coaching Program Team
- Isela Peña-Rager, Assistant Director, Office of Undergraduate Advising, College of Letters & Science
Excellence in Data and/or Research-Driven Student Services
Office of Undergraduate Advising, College of Letters & Science Frontline Unit and Peer Program Team:
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Phuong Tang, Frontline Advising Supervisor
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Anna Sanderson, Intake Adviser
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Quest Dibley, Petition Processing Assistant
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Cat Hubbard, Advising Assistant
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Jade Lumada, Intake Adviser
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Vanessa Torres, Intake Adviser
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Isabella Perez, Intake Adviser
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Denise Soloranzo, Intake Adviser
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Sara Guevara, Intake Adviser
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Greg Cera, Student Advising Supervisor
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Riri Shibata, College Adviser
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Maire Lanigan, Senior College Adviser
Service to the Advising and Student Services Community
- Monica Garcia, Academic Progress Team Advising Supervisor, Office of Undergraduate Advising, College of Letters & Science
Outstanding New Advisor or Student Services Staff
- Arman Liwanag, Senior College Adviser & Project Lead, Office of Undergraduate Advising, College of Letters & Science
Outstanding Advisor or Student Services Staff
- Ambrosia Shapiro, Undergraduate Academic Advisor, Department of Geography
- Thomas Brown, Lead Undergraduate Major Advisor, Department of Mathematics
Outstanding Faculty Advisor
- Joe Hyoung Lee, Lecturer, Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies
2025 L&S Awardees
Each year, the Chancellor recognizes students, staff, faculty, and community partnerships that embody UC Berkeley’s proud tradition of public service and commitment to improving our local and global community. Faculty, staff, undergraduate and graduate students, student organizations, and campus-community partnerships are all eligible. Award categories include: civic engagement, community-engaged teaching, research in the public interest, and campus-community partnership.
Civic Engagement - Undergraduate Student
- Esme Nuno Mora, Sociology
Community-Engaged Teaching
- Seth Lunine, Geography
Rosalie M. Stern Award
- Elizabeth (Betsy) Keenan, Alumna, Sociology
The Cheng Zedler First Generation Scholar Award
- Dafne Cruz Rodriguez, Political Science
Mather Good Citizen Award
- Mckenzie Diep, L&S and College of Environmental Design
Birgeneau Recognition Award for Service to Underrepresented Students
- Hakim Owen, Sociology & Social Welfare
Birgeneau Recognition Award for Servce to Undocumented Students
- Interdisciplinary Studies